Many community intervention models are mentioned in the literature, and three key approaches are referenced (Rothman, Erlich & Tropman, 2001). Let’s look at a brief description of these approaches. The first, locality development, stresses the involvement of a wide range of participation among community members addressing issues of central concern to them. Social solidarity is a strong requirement for success in this approach (Homan, 2004; Rothman et al., 2008). The second approach comes from social planning and policy and stresses the use of experts and educated professionals solving the community’s problems-often from a distance. This approach is empirical and data driven (Homan, 2004; Rothman et al., 2008). The third type of model comes from social action approaches which frequently emphasize the differences between the advantaged and disadvantaged within a community. This approach applies pressure on the advantaged group to leverage social change…

We have collectively survived the first 100 days of a new presidential administration. We have protested, demanded town hall meetings, written letters, organized petitions thorough social media, increased and decreased time on our smartphones and have found creative ways to commiserate with and inspire one another. We have developed new curricula, increased our advocacy and […]

Standing on the platform at the McLean metro stop waiting for the train to take us into D.C. for the Women’s March I was excited and had no idea what to expect from this experience. I attended with my fellow #MacroSW partners, Karen and Sunya, and Rudra, a colleague from the Clinton campaign and hoped the masses gathering would effectively carry a message for our ever-growing list of causes. Trump’s rhetoric was on the verge of becoming reality and that prospect chilled me to my core. As a social worker, I realized our profession would be on the frontlines in fighting for the many people Trump policies would impact. At the…

We’ll be discussing productive aging in our society as part of the grand challenges of social work. What are your visions for a productive and engaging later life for yourself and your loved ones? What special opportunities and challenges exist for women?

What does healthy aging and productivity look like in the 21st century? Baby boomers are retiring later, millennials are starting families and technology continuously offers new ways to delegate tasks.

“Increased automation and longevity demand new thinking by employers and employees regarding productivity. Young people are increasingly disconnected from education or work and the labor force faces significant retirements in the next decades. Throughout the lifespan, fuller engagement in education and paid and unpaid productive activities can generate a wealth of benefits, including better health and well-being, greater financial security, and a more vital society.”

Superhero and sidekick. Image: Beth Johnson Foundation

The challenge of reshaping social expectations, institutions, policies, and programs so we can benefit from the older population and its growing social capital is more important than ever.

Academic-Community Collaborations: Barriers to and Strategies for Success

Host: Sunya Folayan

The roots of social work are grounded in Mary Richmond and Jane Addam’s tireless efforts to assess the needs of underserved populations in the community, to develop standards for the profession and to ensure that future practitioners are trained to carry on specifics of the practice. The foundational core of social work education is the collaboration between community- based organizations which provide field instruction for newly minted social workers and academic programs that offer students the opportunity to develop core skills, knowledge, and theoretical underpinnings for the work ahead. Macro social work centers on the exploration of large scale social problems, and the development and implementation of social interventions that aim to create effective positive social change at the community, state and national levels. Macro practice includes application in social work research, program development for communities large and small…

The Key to Macro Change

The next #MacroSW Twitter Chat will take place on December 10th at 9:00 PM EST. The Topic will be Social Capital: The Key to Macro Change. Jeff Fromknecht (@Sideprojectinc) will be our special guest host. He will be joined by Dr. Al Condeluci, (@acondeluci) and Jamie Curran (@JamieVCurran). They are the lead organizers of the Interdependence Network. The Interdependence Network (IN) is a collective impact effort made up of human service organizations from around the United States, Canada and Australia. Member agencies have committed to shifting their emphasis from the traditional medical model approach to rehabilitation, to an interdependence model, which builds and fosters social capital and social inclusion within communities as the primary strategy for enabling people with disabilities to become full members of society.

The chat will explore interdependence and social capital, and the role these concepts play in macro change.

#MacroSW is a collaboration of social workers, organizations, social work schools, and individuals working to promote macro social work practice. Macro social work practice focuses on changing larger systems, such as communities and organizations. It encompasses a broad spectrum of actions and ideas, ranging from community organizing and education to legislative advocacy and policy analysis. The chats are held bimonthly on Twitter on the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 9 p.m. EST (6 p.m. PST).

For information about how to participate in the MacroSW chat, view our FAQs. For chat schedule and chat archives check out: https://macrosw.wordpress.com.